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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25041442">Fungus</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang'>idrilhadhafang</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Armitage Hux Has Feelings, Based On A Private Conversation, Based on meta, Becoming The Mask, Fix-It, Gen, Minor Poe Dameron/Ben Solo, Past Child Abuse, Past War crimes, Poe Dameron is a Good Friend, Redemption, heel realization, odd friendship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:42:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>797</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25041442</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Hux survives to participate in the battle of Exegol, and Poe can’t leave him alone.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Poe Dameron &amp; Armitage Hux</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>The Darkpilot Library, Trope Bingo: Round Fourteen</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Fungus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Prompt: Unexpected Friendship</p><p>Disclaimer: I own nothing.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The logical thing after Exegol should be to leave the nice man who once had Starkiller Base at his disposal alone, but Poe has never been the sort of person to just leave lonely people to their own devices. And Hux seems lonely. Most of the Resistance seems to fear or dislike him, and Poe knows it’s understandable considering what he’s done. <br/><br/>Still, Poe can’t help but feel sorry for him. Just a twinge. It’s there, though, just behind Poe’s ribcage, the feeling that led him to trust Finn when Finn saved his life. That Ben probably felt even when Poe was deep in the spice running business. (Kriff, he misses Ben) And that’s when it dawns on him that he feels sorry for Hux. <br/><br/>And it helps that Hux helped too. Helped in the Battle of Exegol. Saved Snap’s life. That certainly counts for something. Hux isn’t a good person. He gave the order to annihilate a whole star system. And it does call into question how exactly you deal with people who’ve done something so awful. <br/><br/>Hux is basically if Tarkin lived, and saved a Rebel — while insisting he was only doing it so Kylo would lose. Hux did give them the necessary information to stop the Final Order. <br/><br/>Hux is...better than he thinks he is. <br/><br/>Poe seeks him out if only because of that. <br/><br/>***<br/><br/>“You really can’t leave me alone, can you, Dameron?” Hux says wryly. <br/><br/>“I’m pretty bad at that.” They’re standing outside Hux’s room, before Leia’s funeral. “Look, Hux...we didn’t get off to a good start. You taunted me about Ben, I made a joke about your mother that didn’t age well.”<br/><br/>“That’s assuming it was funny in the first place.” Hux says. <br/><br/>“Point being...you did bad things. Hosnian system and all.”<br/><br/>Hux nods. “I did,” he says. “There’s nothing in the galaxy that can excuse that, even my upbringing. I didn’t see the harm I caused until I actually met Hosnian refugees. People who wanted answers. Snoke...encouraged us to see the Resistance as monsters, and I didn’t question him.”<br/><br/>“Your upbringing?” Poe says. <br/><br/>“Well, yes. My father had a...mean streak.” The way Hux looks, that look of pain and shame — Poe thinks he’s drastically underplaying it. “My mother was not his wife; I was an illegitimate child. And my father took it out on me.”<br/><br/>“Just because he couldn’t keep it in his pants?” Poe says. <br/><br/>Hux nods. “There was...brutality. Initially Admiral Rae Sloane was able to make my father stop but...it started up again. It was why I reacted so violently to you insulting my mother...”<br/><br/>“Well, stang,” Poe says. “I’m sorry, Hux. I mean...I was trying to distract you long enough, but there could have been a way that didn’t make me feel like a schutta. You didn’t deserve the way your father treated you.”<br/><br/>“My father thought I was too soft and timid as well.”<br/><br/>“Well, your father’s an idiot. No offense.”<br/><br/>“None taken.” Hux sighs. “It’s odd, but...you’re the first one to actually show me any compassion in a long time.” A beat. “I suppose it grows in you. Like a fungus.”<br/><br/>“It’s a strength,” Poe says. “Not a weakness.”<br/><br/>“Where I grew up, it was not very common.”<br/><br/>“Well, you’re here with us now. It is common.”<br/><br/>“I refer you to my fungus comparison.”<br/><br/>Poe raises an eyebrow. “Hux, are you actually making a joke?”<br/><br/>“You could say spending time around Kylo sharpened these abilities.”<br/><br/>“I think you will like Ben Solo. Guaranteed. Kylo Ren was...trying too hard.” Poe sighs; even that hadn’t sufficiently summed up seeing the man he loved become a monster without due warning. “Hux...it won’t be an easy road, but I think you can make it out. Revan redeemed himself. Vader redeemed himself. I mean, I’m not a Jedi, but I know the stories from Ben and Leia. You’ll have to do the work, but you are better than you believe.”<br/><br/>“I can see why...Finn looks up to you,” Hux says. “Why Kylo loved you — still does.”<br/><br/>“I thought he and Rey...”<br/><br/>"I’d say Rey’s more interested in him than he is in her,” Hux says. “And he spoke of you, once. Before the Jakku mission. It was obvious that you meant quite a bit to him.” A beat. “Ren wears his heart on his sleeve. Are you surprised?”<br/><br/>There is something in Poe that seems to burst into bloom, into light, at the very words Hux says. <br/><br/>“Go to him,” Hux says, sounding wry. “You’re making the air reek with melodrama. At least put me out of my misery.”<br/><br/>“That’s the plan...should I call you Armie now?”<br/><br/>Hux does smile, genuinely. <br/><br/>“I suppose,” he says. “That will do.”</p>
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